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Eaze Update

February 20, 2025

Our Eaze Contract Has Been Ratified

Our new three-year agreement with Eaze, Inc. has officially been ratified. Thank you for taking the time to vote, and making sure your voice was heard.

Because of our solidarity and commitment to fighting for the contract we deserve, our new contract includes:

  • Retaining the vast majority of language from our Stachs LLC contract in the new agreement
  • A return to our wage table with Stachs for drivers and an improved wage table for retail staff and some fulfillment staff
  • Pay rates are retroactive to January 1, 2025 for both wages and mileage
  • Ensuring that the mileage rate is indexed to increase annually at the percent change in the IRS rate moving forward
  • New successorship language, which helps to protect our contract in any future ownership changes

The agreement also credits prior service with Stachs for Eaze’s union members. Although it is not everything we would have wanted, it provides some certainty in a tumultuous period in the industry and for the company.

This victory is a direct result of the persistence and solidarity from EAZE workers across the state. In the face of so much uncertainty in the past few months, workers have remained united in advocating for the best possible outcome.

Stay engaged with our union – the power of our collective solidarity and strength puts us in a better position when we come back to the table in three years. We can no longer be just Eaze workers fighting for Eaze workers. It must be UFCW 324 members fighting for UFCW 324 members.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Steward or Union Representative.

In Solidarity,

UFCW 324 and your Bargaining Committee

 

Union Contacts:
Ciara Hall 714-454-3202

Shop Steward Contacts:
Austin Williams 949-291-0162

Bargaining Committee Contacts:
Sarah Martinez 951-867-1653
Karly Giacalone 714-280-6693

February 20, 2025

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Secures Stability and Protections for EAZE Cannabis Workers Amid Industry Uncertainty

Buena Park, CA – In an industry marked by volatility, nearly 500 Eaze cannabis workers represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union locals 5, 135, 324, and 770 have overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with Eaze, Inc. This agreement ensures continued stability, fair wages, and critical worker protections at a time when the cannabis sector faces ongoing financial and regulatory challenges.

The new agreement guarantees fair wages and scheduled raises retroactive to January 1, 2025, employer contributions to health and welfare benefits, and indexed mileage reimbursement rate for drivers and successorship language to protect workers in the future. By securing these protections, UFCW continues to provide cannabis workers with the stability they deserve, reinforcing the importance of union representation in an unpredictable industry.

The agreement follows a turbulent period for Eaze workers. Less than five months ago, Stachs, LLC – a subsidiary of Eaze Technologies, Inc. – announced it would wind down operations by the end of 2024, threatening mass layoffs across California. However, UFCW remained steadfast in its commitment to securing job security and fair working conditions for its members.

With new investment and restructuring, Eaze, Inc. acquired key assets and reopened 70 locations across multiple states, including 57 retail stores, 11 delivery hubs, and two production facilities. As part of this transition, UFCW successfully negotiated to protect workers’ rights, ensuring that a supermajority of the workforce was rehired and that prior service with Stachs was credited under the new contract.

“With this contract ratification victory, Eaze cannabis delivery drivers can put the uncertainty of the past few months behind us and continue to build on the union solidarity and pride we’ve been cultivating with UFCW for the last two years,” said Ron Swallow, an Eaze delivery driver out of Van Nuys. “We’re proud of the collective work we’ve done to get to this point, and will continue fighting for fair treatment for all cannabis workers.”

UFCW remains committed to advocating for cannabis industry workers, ensuring that even in an unstable market, they receive the respect, protections, and fair compensation they deserve.

About United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union Locals 5, 135, 324, and 770

UFCW Locals 5, 135, 324, and 770 represent nearly 600 Eaze/Stachs workers and UFCW represents over 6,000 cannabis workers throughout California.

UFCW International is the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.2 million workers and their families in grocery, meatpacking, food processing, healthcare, cannabis, retail, and other essential industries.

 

February 14, 2025

2025 Eaze Contract FACT sheet (v.5.1) 2025 Eaze California LLC Proposal vFINAL EAZE Ballot Feb 2025

February 7, 2025

Dear Union Siblings,

We want to update you on our negotiations with Eaze for a Collective Bargaining Agreement. We have received the employer’s Last Best & Final Offer (LBFO). This represents their maximum economic package and final position on all contract terms.

Compared to the employer’s initial offer, we secured improvements in retail and fulfillment wages, moved away from a fixed $0.45 mileage reimbursement to an indexed rate, and maintained the majority of provisions from the Stachs Collective Bargaining Agreement. This offer includes retroactive pay from January 1, 2025. 

As your bargaining committee, we have decided to present this offer without a formal recommendation either for or against ratification.

While these changes represent improvements to current conditions, the employer and our union remained apart on the issues of mileage and fulfillment wages, and thus did not reach an agreement. We encourage each member to evaluate the offer in consideration of your personal circumstances.

To this end, UFCW 324 will host a check-in meeting for you and your co-workers at Santa Ana to consider the employer’s offer.

Meeting: Eaze OC Check-In

Date: Monday, February 10th

Time: 8:00pm

Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84981728690

 

UFCW will also host a statewide Town Hall meeting to learn what this means for you and your coworkers:

Meeting: Town Hall on Company’s Final Offer

Date: Thursday, February 13th

Time: 6:00 PM

Purpose: Review contract offer details and answer your questions.

Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/XV_lyLgTQ6yMaIhjcUGPow

 

Please register for the Union’s Town Hall meeting above! Questions may be sent in advance to your Union Representative, Ciara Hall (chall@ufcw324.org) or directed to your shop stewards:

Austin Williams 949-291-0162
Sarah Martinez 951-867-1653
Karly Giacalone 714-280-6693

We look forward to seeing you at the Town Hall and discussing this important matter with you.

In Solidarity,

UFCW 324 and your Bargaining Committee

January 24, 2025

Dear Eaze members,

We want to welcome all members of our union family – both returning members and those who are joining us for the first time under our new contract negotiations with Eaze California LLC. The Bargaining Committee is made up of your co-workers from depots across the state who represent our diverse workforce at the negotiating table.

We had our first bargaining session with the company yesterday, January 23rd, where the employer was represented by CEO Cory Azzalino and CFO Trey Handley, along with the company’s attorney. With these key decision-makers at the table, we will push toward a timely resolution.

During this initial meeting, we exchanged proposals and began the important work of advocating for our interests. We are focused on maintaining the strong protections and pay secured under our previous contract while addressing key outstanding concerns. Economic issues like wages, guaranteed hours, and mileage reimbursement remain under discussion.

We know many of us are struggling with the employer’s pay reduction, which is why getting retroactive pay back to January 1st is a top priority. While we’re working to move negotiations forward efficiently, we’re also committed to securing the best possible agreement for all members.

Your Voice Matters: We’ve created a Pre-Bargaining Survey to ensure we effectively represent everyone’s interests. Your input will help shape our negotiating priorities.

Please take a moment to complete it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6ZLW2JY

Next Steps:

We’d love to hear your thoughts about what you want to see in the contract – your experiences and ideas help us better represent everyone’s needs. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your union stewards to share your perspective or ask questions.

Union Contacts:
Ciara Hall 714-454-3202

Shop Steward Contacts:
Austin Williams 949-291-0162
Sarah Martinez 951-867-1653
Karly Giacalone 714-280-6693
Ricky Kim 714-510-6978

In Solidarity,

UFCW 324 and your Bargaining Committee

 

December 10, 2024

Update on Eaze Inc.’s Hiring Process and Union Advocacy

Dear Union Members,

We want to provide clarity regarding the upcoming hire and offer letters that Eaze Inc. will be issuing over the next few weeks. Please know that the terms and conditions in these initial offers represent the company’s starting point and are not final or binding under the union’s agreements.

Once the union is recognized, we will begin bargaining with Eaze Inc. to negotiate a new contract. Our goal is to preserve the key provisions of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and ensure that your rights and benefits remain protected.

What You Should Do When You Receive an Offer Letter

  • Check your tenure or seniority date. Review the information provided in your offer letter carefully, particularly your seniority or tenure date. If you notice any discrepancies, consult your steward or union representative. You may need to dispute inaccuracies with the union’s help.
  • If the information is accurate, accept the offer. Remember, the terms outlined are just a starting point, and the union will soon be bargaining with the company to secure the best possible contract.
  • Health benefits confirmation. Eaze Inc. has verbally confirmed that if you are rehired and eligible for health benefits, your coverage will start on Day 1. While you will need to enroll in a new healthcare plan, the employer contribution amount will remain the same as it is under the current CBA.

For those who are not rehired, please know that the union is actively advocating for severance pay and COBRA health coverage to support affected members during this transition.

We understand that this process may feel uncertain, but we are committed to keeping you informed and ensuring that your interests are represented every step of the way.

Thank you for your continued solidarity and trust. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your union representative.

November 22, 2024

Dear Eaze Members,

Earlier this week, your union negotiating committee met with Eaze-Stachs CEO Corey Azzalino and the company’s current attorney to discuss the effects of the closure of Eaze-Stachs. Eaze-Stachs is a separate company from the new company, so Eaze-Stachs proposed a slim effects agreement to the union. The bargaining committee decided to hold on any counterproposal to the company’s current proposal until we meet with the new company.

Corey emphasized that they are two different companies. Corey also said he and the new company want to continue working with the Union and do not want to bargain a whole new agreement. The Union will meet with the new company as soon as possible and will work out details to ensure that the Collective Bargaining Agreement is kept in place with the new company. The goal is to have the transition process worked out before the closure of Eaze-Stachs and the opening of the new company.

Corey said that everyone will have a job until 12/31, with no planned layoffs before then. It is important that you reapply to the new company. They are accepting applications now.

Please contact your union representative or bargaining committee member with any additional questions.

Thank you